Wonder Woman is the most durable female superhero ever created, and while that idea may seem old hat in a world with characters like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and all of her complicated legacy), Jessica Jones, and hundreds if not thousands of others, remember that when Wonder Woman debuted in 1941's All Star Comics #8, American women had secured the right to vote just 20 years earlier. Her character stems from the feminist movements of the early 20th century; its creator, William Moulton Marston, was one of them, and he wanted to inspire women to be their best selves and men to obey, if not obey. What better way to deliver these lessons, Marston apparently realized, then by publishing in children's comics when readers are of formative age?

So, in writing the real wonderful Woman, did Marston create the world's first flying woman? Can Diana of Themyscira ascend as Superman? It varies, and yes, the answer reflects Wonder Woman's political and feminist themes.

Long story short: For the first 40 years of Wonder Woman's release, she was generally unable to fly. (And Superman was originally unable to fly until Fleischer Studios' Superman animated shorts from the 1940s But when writer/artist George Perez rebooted Wonder Woman in 1987, Diana gained the power to fly and has kept it ever since.

So if you look at some previous iterations of Wonder Woman, you'll find her stuck on the ground. In 1972, when Gloria Steinem's feminist magazine Ms. became independent, Wonder Woman appeared on the issue's cover (note her leg dividing the background between peace and war). As you can see, she doesn't rise above the city, she walks through it.

Ms. Magazine

In the original 1972 Wonder Woman comic, Diana shed her superpowers and classic costume to become an Emma Peel-style martial artist. (This era began with Wonder Woman #178, by writer Dennis O'Neill and artist Mike Sekowski, and ended in 1973 with #204.)

Perez's Wonder Woman was the thunderbolt (as thrown by Zeus) that Diana needed. After decades of mediocrity, the comic made her an A-list hero in more than name. Perez, who wasn't afraid to put feminist themes front and center, made Wonder Woman equal to Superman not only in popularity, but also in power.